Student Assessment consists of multiple parts; during my student intern and teaching experiences, I came to find that the majority of my student assessing took place while I was reflecting on how and what my students learned after each lesson. It was my responsibility to determine what did and did not work.

This was a not a skill that I just came to understand right away; throughout my elementary school placement, I found myself starting to focus and observe student learning while writing my personal reflection every week in a constructive manner.

Placed below are a couple different reflections, or special selections from specific reflections, that show myself linking what I was teaching to what my students were learning, and whether or not it was a successful learning experience. If not, I gave myself and the situation constructive critisicm in hopes that I would be able recognize and fix issues for future lessons.

Even though assessment is generally thought of or examined through test scores, rubrics, checklists, written exams, and students' ability to transfer material from class to class, I personally believe that one of my biggest strengths falls within motivating my students to feel successful. During my time out in the field, I have noticed an increase in my students' learning when they have been encouraged, cared about, and motivated to do well.

Below you will find different selections of my reflections from my elementary internship, my internship in the fall at the high school level, and certain selections from my weekly Blog Posts from this past spring, during my full-time student teaching experience. These reflections and blog posts relate directly to student learning and motivation within my teaching.

However, Student Assessment is indeed shown through test scores, data, and a growth or increase in numbers. Previously, I shared and discussed an Assessment Project that I created and administered during my fall internship. Place below you will see the the Pre-Test Results, Post-Test Results, a comparsions of the Pre and Post-Test Results together.

This was important data for me to collect and analyze but not only did it show whether or not my teaching and lesson were beneficial, but it also shows student growth within the classroom. Receiving and analyzing this information helped make me a better teacher because I was able to distinguish between what teaching techniques and strategies worked best for my students.

Speaking of Rubrics, checklists, and test scores, even though this subject has been described and explained in-depth previously, below is a rubric that I created and used during my full-time student teaching this spring for every class falling between 6th-12th Grade Concert Band.

This Rubric was used every two weeks for every student on each instrument during their "Pass-Off Exams". This rubric, and the idea of "Pass-Offs", shows sequential student learning because everyone got the same content to study, practice, and prepare for a playing test that happened every other Thursday or Friday (depending on block scheduling).

Jenna George, Pass Off Rubric.pdf

Even though my Pre-Post Test Data comparisons have been shared and discussed previously, I have incorporated the conclusion and assessment reflection of that specific project into my Student Learning column because of the reflection that took place while constructively concluding the results.

While considering what happened in the classroom and why, I took into consideration other elements that might not have been specifically test-related. I asked myself questions like, "Does age matter?", "What about their personal experiences or years within this class in comparison to their peers?". While reflecting on my students backgrounds, I realized there is more to student learning that just the score on a test. Like motivation, as mentioned above, student learning is also directly related to experience, confidence, and exposure to the material prior to the lesson being taught.

Look below for a closer view of my conclusions; I definitely learned a lot about my students during this process, which helped me plan my lessons and gear the direction of my instructions with more detail.


Asessment Conclusion.pdf

This video is a small sample of my conducting from the middle of this past semester. It is important that I include a video of myself conducting because it greatly affects my students and their ability to understand me from the podium. My students, regardless of age or playing ability, rely on my conducting for entrances, dynamics, style, tempo, articulations, and much more. Recording myself conducting was beneficial to me and shows me continuing to grow as a student beacuse I have to practice my conducting; I have to give myself constructive criticism, which then leads me striving to continiously improve so that my students are growing and learning in the least restrictive learning environment as possible.

Linked below is a video collage that I created during my field placement this past spring. This video collage that I created reflects on the aspects of both my teaching and my students' growth, as well as small aspects of my conducting. As a music educator, it is important that I am capable of communicating with my students; this collage, which directly relates to one created before it, shows my students' growth and progress in terms of tempo and changing the tool used while conducting. It also incorporates small aspects of my students learning in the moment; they are thinking critically and answering questions.


The image placed below is a more in-depth collage summary.